Dare Babalola
Arsenal have been crowned Premier League champions for the first time since 2004, ending a 22-year wait after Manchester City were held to a draw by AFC Bournemouth in a dramatic final stretch of the season.
The result confirms Mikel Arteta’s side as champions ahead of their final-day clash with Crystal Palace.
Following the historic triumph, Nigerian supporters of the club spoke to NEWSTELLERS on Wednesday, reflecting on when they started supporting Arsenal, the long years of disappointment, banter from rival fans, and the joy of finally becoming champions of England.
One of the most emotional accounts came from Reverend Obum Osigwe, who said he began supporting Arsenal in 1997 during the early Arsène Wenger era.
He described the journey as a mix of “hope, frustration, pride, and stubborn loyalty.”
He said, “The early years gave us the love. 1997 to 2004 was special. Under Arsène Wenger we played football that made people fall in love with the club. The Invincibles season showed us what was possible.”
However, he admitted the years after 2004 tested supporters deeply. “From 2005 onwards it got tough, we moved to the Emirates, lost key players, and the title kept slipping away. There were jokes, near-misses, and nights you wondered if it would ever happen again,” he said.
On the title win, he added, “It feels like release and vindication. The 22 years make this title mean more than any other, we stayed, Wenger laid the foundation, and the team finished the job.”
For Damilola, the wait was simple but painful. “It’s worth the wait. Through all the difficult seasons, heartbreaks, banter and years of hoping, staying loyal has finally paid off,” he said.
Another fan, Amina Omoike, who started supporting the club around 2003/2004, said the moment felt long overdue.
“It feels really great and exciting to see Arsenal as league winners again. I’m glad it wasn’t another ‘almost-there’ experience,” she said, adding that she now hopes for Champions League success.
Jacob Aswe, who has supported Arsenal since 2000, said he never expected the wait to stretch so long.
“I kept hoping and believing that the next season would be better, not knowing it would be after 22 years,” he said.
Ajayi Victor, who began supporting the club in 2004, described the journey as emotionally draining but rewarding.
“Supporting Arsenal without winning the Premier League for over two decades has been disheartening and heartbreaking but also a journey filled with hope and loyalty,” he said.
Veteran supporter Michael Nnabuchi traced his fandom back to the Kanu Nwankwo era, saying the experience included both joy and “banters that fried our hearts,” but ultimately gratitude for enduring the wait.
He said, “I enjoyed when the team was invincible and when they started ‘frying’ our hearts.”
For Kemi Shiaba, the emotional weight of 22 years defined the experience.
“That’s not just a wait, that’s a whole generation learning how to argue, defend, cope. After 22 years of noise, the loudest thing is happiness,” she said.
Johnson Bassey said the victory restored pride in the club after years of questions and jokes from rivals.
“Twenty-two years is not a short period, it feels like reclaiming something that belonged to them,” he said, adding that attention now turns to the Champions League.
Afolabi, speaking in excitement from London, described the victory as surreal and unforgettable. “I went to bed, woke up and had to check my phone to be sure.”
“What a nice time to actually win the premiership. Now I live in the UK, I’m in London right now. I’m going to be part of each and every parade. As far as I’m concerned, I’m on top of the world right now.
“And for the people who have bantered us, who have called us bottlers all these years, it just shows how much resilience and hard work actually,” he said.
With emotions running high across the fanbase, Nigerian supporters say the long wait has made the triumph even sweeter, marking not just a sporting achievement but the end of years of patience, belief, and unwavering loyalty.
